World Cup 2018 lands Sunseeker

12 Jan 2018

British luxury yacht manufacturer Sunseeker has been unveiled as an official partner of the 2018 Fifa World Cup national team football tournament in Russia.

Sunseeker will benefit from the highest level of access to the tournament through its parent company, Chinese conglomerate Wanda Group, which became a top-tier partner of world football’s governing body in March 2016.

The deal grants Sunseeker major marketing and branding rights relating to the World Cup, which runs from June 14 to July 15. Sunseeker clients will also be given access to once-in-a-lifetime experiences. The deal marks Sunseeker’s largest marketing initiative to date.

Phil Popham, chief executive of Sunseeker International, said: “The Wanda partnership has provided Sunseeker with access to the largest sporting event on the planet which is just incredible. This is not only the most prestigious marketing initiative for Sunseeker but for the marine industry as a whole and it will allow us to create some fantastic experiences for our clients as well as giving unprecedented exposure to the Sunseeker brand.”

Wanda’s partnership with Fifa marked the first major sponsorship agreement signed by the governing body since Gianni Infantino replaced Sepp Blatter as president in February 2016.

Wanda became the first Chinese firm to sign up as a Fifa Partner, with the agreement granting it the highest level of sponsorship rights across a cycle which includes the next four editions of the World Cup.

As part of its agreement, Wanda will have rights to all Fifa competitions and corporate activities up to and including the 2030 World Cup.